Oh, my mistake, I thought that Ville Bague was on the other side of that long straight road. (In fact I must have thought of the “château de Villebague”, written in one word if memory serves me right, which is on this side I think, i.e. on the same side as The Mount and Pamplemousses — http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/file/Mauritius_web.pdf.)

Incidentally, these trees are terminalias, just like badamiers (Terminalia catappa). Their scientific name is Terminalia arjuna and they are also known as “arjun” — http://mauricianismes.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/terminalias/

Yes, in all likelihood these trees were there before any asphalt. The must have been planted to provide shade to those who travelled on foot, whether human, oxen or horses. This is why today we can enjoy these beautiful roads, and it's a pity we don't do it anymore (we could plant them further away from the road's side if they represent a danger for motorised vehicles). It seems in the old days people thought about what would take place ten, twenty, fifty years down the road. Nowadays we can barely think about things for the next two years, five years being already beyond the horizon for most people.